Tata Motors will launch two new hatchbacks next year, the Bolt hatchback and an all-new hatchback - codenamed Kite. While the Bolt hatchback's launch is expected in January, the Kite is likely to go on sale by the end of 2015. Based on the modified Indica platform, the new hatch will rival against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Celerio, Wagon R and Hyundai i10/Santro.
It will be positioned between the Nano and the Bolt hatchback. The company has already started testing the compact car on Indian roads, but the production model is yet to see daylight. The new model will share its styling cues with the likes of Tata Zest, the Bolt and the Nexon compact SUV concept, shown at the 2014 Delhi Motor Show. The interiors are also expected to see component sharing with other newer generation Tata cars to keep its cost down. Just like the Indica, the Kite hatchback is likely to offer spacious cabin and large luggage carrying capacity.
The Kite hatchback will be offered in both petrol and diesel fuel options. While the oil burner is the 1.05-litre 3-cylinder common rail diesel engine, the petrol model will get the new 1.2-litre unit. A five-speed manual transmission would come as standard across all models, while AMT equipped variant is also expected to come to rival Maruti Celerio AMT.
